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Mirai is a dedicated oceanographic research vessel, owned by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). At 129 meters in length, and with sophisticated navigation, positioning and science features, this major research platform is nicknamed 'the floating institute". Mirai is used collaboratively by researchers in Japan and foreign countries, and it contributes observational research aimed at clarifying and predicting environmental changes on a global scale, such as global warming.
information and images are from the
JAMSTEC web site.
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| Vessel Ownership | ||||
| Vessel name: | Mirai | |||
| Vessel nationality: | Japan | |||
| Homeport: | Sekinehama, Mutsu city, Aomori Pref. Japan | |||
| Vessel owner: | Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) | |||
| Vessel operator: | Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology | |||
| Vessel web page: | http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec-e/ships/mirai1.html | |||
| Vessel Activities and Operating Areas | ||||
| Vessel's main activity: | Mirai is a dedicated research vessel. | |||
| Vessel operating areas: | Mirai is ice strengthened, and can operate in all seas worldwide, except where full icebreaking capability is required. | |||
| Primary Logistics Provider | ||||
| Organization: | Japan Agency for Marine Earth Science and Technology, Mutsu Institute for Oceanography | |||
| Name and title of contact person: | unknown | |||
| Address: | 690 Kitasekine, Sekine, Mutsu-city, Aomori 035-0022 | |||
| Telephone: | 0175-25-3811 | |||
| Fax: | 0175-25-3029 | |||
| E-mail: | unknown | |||
| Contact person or agency web page: | http://www.jamstec.go.jp/jamstec-e/mutu/index.html | |||
| Primary Management Agency | ||||
| Organization: | Same as above | |||
| Scheduling Process | ||||
| Qualifications: Use of the Mirai is open to Japanese researchers, and to foreign researchers who are working jointly with a Japanese researcher. Application: Applications must be submitted by e-mail, as attachments, on official application forms(downloadable from the JAMSTEC home page). The home page address is http://www.jamstec.go.jp/ Send to: mirakobo@jamstec.go.jp Selection: Screening and selection will be performed by the R/V MIRAI Operation Planning Committee. Information: For further information see the Jamstec web site, or contact: Research Support Dept., Marine Technology Center, JAMSTEC TEL: 0468-67-9883 FAX: 0468-69-0812 E-mail:mirakobo @jamstec.go.jp | ||||
| Physical Access | ||||
| Mutsu City is accessible by train, air, and road. Details are available on the Mutsu City web site at: http://www.city.mutsu.aomori.jp/indexe.html JAMSTEC may be able to provide transportation support to researchers using Mirai. In addition, the institute operates a guest house for visiting researchers. The building consists of researcher's rooms (8), lounge, conference room, and cafeteria. | ||||
| Vessel Characteristics | ||||
| Vessel type: | Dedicated research vessel | |||
| Vessel length in meters: | 129 | |||
| Vessel length in feet: | 423 | |||
| Beam (Breadth) in meters: | 19 | |||
| Beam in feet: | 62 | |||
| Draft in meters: | 6.9 | |||
| Draft in feet: | 23 | |||
| Displacement GRT: | 8687 | |||
| Year built: | 1997 | |||
| Freeboard (deck to water) in meters : | unknown | |||
| Freeboard (deck to water) in feet : | unknown | |||
| Height (topmast to water) in meters : | unknown | |||
| Height (topmast to water) in feet : | unknown | |||
| Science deck space (m) : | unknown | |||
| Science deck space (ft) : | unknown | |||
| Vessel Performance and Capabilities | ||||
| Cruising speed (knots, open water): | 16 | |||
| Range in nautical miles: | 12000 | |||
| Range in km: | 22224 | |||
| Icebreaking capability: | Mirai is ice strengthened, and can operate in all seas worldwide, except where full icebreaking capability is required. Previous polar expeditions include work in August - October in the Bering, Chukchi and Beaufort seas. | |||
| Fuel capacity: | unknown | |||
| Propulsion power: | 10,000 HP ( 2,500 HP X 4 units) 7,457 KW | |||
| Endurance (days) : | unknown | |||
| Accommodations | ||||
| Crew berths: | 34 | |||
| Scientist berths: | 46 | |||
| Communications and Data Systems | ||||
| ALIAS is currently seeking information about the Mirai's communications and data systems. | ||||
| Laboratory Space | ||||
| Mirai has extensive laboratory facilities (13 labs). ALIAS is seeking details about the area and layout of the various laboratory spaces. | ||||
| Onboard Science Equipment | ||||
| Comments: | This information is from the Mirai Data Web on the JAMSTEC web site. There you will find additional information, photographs of the equipment, cruise reports, and more. | |||
| Acoustic/Bathymetric Equipment: | Multi-narrow beam echo sounder Manufacturer : SeaBeam Instruments Sea Beam 2112.004 Hull-mounted for ocean floor topography mapping. Shipboard acoustic doppler current profiler (ADCP) Manufacturer : RD Instruments Type : RD-10203075 vessel mount 75 Hull mounted, the ADCP measures current speed and direction to a depth of 700m. | |||
| Gas Sampling and Analysis Equipment: | Gas chromatgraph / Mass spectrometer Manufacturer : Thermo Electron K.K. Type : GCQ Gas chromatograph Manufacturer : Shimadzu Corporation Type : GC-14BP Draft Chambers (3) Manufacturer: Dalton Corporation Vented to the outside, used for safely working with samples/reagents emitting harmful gasses Air sampling pump Manufacturer : Sibata Scientific Technology LTD. Type : SIP-32L This pump introduces air at 20L/min into the atmospheric gas observation room and the surface seawater analyzing room. It is also possible to remove moisture in the sampling air. High volume air samplers (2) Manufacturer : Sibata Scientific Technology LTD. Type : HVC-1000N High volume air sampler quickly traps a large quantity of aerosols. Two of these are mounted on the compass deck. Low volume air samplers (2) Manufacturer : Sibata Scientific Technology LTD. Type : AN-200 Low volume air sampler traps aerosols according to particle size. Two of these samplers are mounted on the compass deck. Air compressor Manufacturer : Shimadzu Corporation Type : TOSCON Supplies air with low oil content to the gas chromatograph. | |||
| Oceanographic equipment: | Automatic/Continuous Seawater Analysis Nutrient analyzer (2ch) Manufacturer : Bran+Luebbe GmbH Type : TRAACS-800 TCO2 measurement system Manufacturer : Japan ANS Corporation UIC, Inc. Type : CM-5012 Continuously measures the total dissolved inorganic carbon in surface water. pCO2 measurement system Manufacturer : Japan ANS Corporation, Rosemount Inc. Type : BINOS4.1 Automatically and continuously measures the carbon dioxide concentration in air and surface water. Surface layer seawater analyzing system/automatic ion analyzer Manufacturer : Bran+Luebbe GmbH Type : MON-001H Continuously measures the nutrient (nitrate, nitrite, silicate and phosphate) concentration in surface water. Seawater Analysis Salinity measurement system Manufacturer : Guidline Instruments Ltd. Type : AUTOSAL8400B Nutrient analyzer(4ch) Manufacturer : Bran+Luebbe GmbH Type : TRAACS-800 Measures the nutrients (nitrate, nitrite, silicate and phosphate) dissolved in seawater. Total dissolved inorganic carbon measurement system Manufacturer : Japan ANS Corporation UIC, Inc. Type : CM-5012 CN mass spectrometer Manufacturer : PDZ EUROPA Ltd. Type : EUROPA20-20 ROBOPREP-SL This system consists of two devices, the ROBOPLEP-SL which is preprocessing equipment, and the EUROPA20-20 which is an isotope mass spectrometer. pH meter Manufacturer : Radiometer Analytical SAS Type : PHM95 Dissolved Oxygen Titrator Manufacturer : Metrohm-shibata Ltd. Type : DMS Titrino716/2-20 Total Alkalinity Titrator Manufacturer : Radiometer Analytical SAS Type : TIM900 Fluorometer Manufacturer : Turner Designs, Inc. Type : 10-AU-005 Measures chlorophyll-a in seawater and estimates the biomass of phytoplankton. Spectro-fluorometer Manufacturer : Shimadzu Corporation Type : RF-5300F measures chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b, and estimates the biomass of phytoplankton. Absorption spectro-photometer Manufacturer : Shimadzu Corporation Type : UV-2400PC Measures the absorbance of each pigment in seawater, and estimates the biomass of phytoplankton. High performance liquid chromatograph Manufacturer : Waters Corporation Type : 474/996/717plus/600s/616pump By measuring various pigments in phytoplankton, it is possible to estimate the composition of species. | |||
| Sediment Sampling Equipment: | Piston corer ( 8m, 20m) Manufacturer : Rigosha Co., Ltd. Takes seafloor cores to a maximum of 20 meters in length. Also onboard is a push-out system for removing the core from the plastic casing, and a core splitter for separating the core into working and archiving halves. Multiple corer Manufacturer : Rigosha Co., Ltd. Type : Cal.No,5173 Collects the seafloor surface sediment without turbidity. Multiple pilot core sampler (Ashura) Manufacturer : Rigosha Co., Ltd. Type : Cal.No,5174 The multiple pilot core sampler is used to take sea floor sediments to about 30cm. This sampler is also used as the pilot corer for the piston corer. Gamma-ray nondestructive core sample analyzing system Manufacturer : Geotek Ltd. Type : Multi-Senser Core Logger (MSCL) This system is used for nondestructive measurement of the density, magnetic susceptibility and moisture content the sediment core sample. Core sample color reference system Manufacturer : Minolta Co., Ltd. Type : CM-2002 Evaluates core color tones. Photographic recording device for core samples Manufacturer : Nikon Corporation Photographs the split sediment core sample. Polarizing microscope Manufacturer : Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. Type : BX50 Used to identify the minerals and microfossils in the sediment. Soft X-ray camera Manufacturer : Softex Co., Ltd. Type : PRO-TEST 150 Uses soft x-rays to record the physical structure of a core cross section. Also on board is a Fuji FIP 1400 developer for immediate development of the film. | |||
| Geophysical Observation Equipment: | Shipboard gravimeter Manufacturer : LaCoste & Romberg LLC Type : S-116 Gravimeter consists of a highly damped, spring type gravity sensor mounted on a gyro stabilized platform with associated electronics for obtaining gravity readings. Microgravimeter Manufacturer : Scintrex Limited. Type : CG3M Used to calibrate the shipboard gravimeter. Gravity is measured both at the pier and at a standard point where the absolute gravity is well known. 3 component magnetometer Manufacturer : Tiera technica Type : SFG1214 Measures geomagnetic field strength resolved into X, Y and Z components. This sensor is fixed on an aluminum platform mounted on the top part of the foremast to minimize magnetic influences from the ship. Proton magnetometer Manufacturer : Geometrics, inc., Type : G-811 Measures the geomagnetic field strength of the sea.The sensor is towed approximately 400m off the stern, to avoid the magnetic influence of the hull . | |||
| Atmospheric/Meteorological Equipment: | Doppler radar Manufacturer : Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Uses C-band microwave to measure rainfall intensity, wind speed and wind direction. The antenna is controlled by a highly accurate Inertial Navigation System ( INS ), to remove the influence of rolling/pitching and ship speed. General maritime meteorological observation system Manufacturer : Koshin Denki Kogyo Co., Ltd. Air temperature, dew point, atmospheric pressure, wind speed/direction, precipitation, solar radiation, upward radiation and sea surface temperature are continuously monitored through sensors set up at various points on board. The combined wave heights and period are continuously measured by microwave-type wave gauges mounted on the bow and aft. Radiosonde Manufacturer :Vaisala Inc. Type : DigiCORA MW11 The radiosonde is used for upper-air observation. Lightweight measuring devices for atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity and a compact radio transmitter, are attached to a helium filled rubber balloon, and data are collected to an altitude of 20km. Position is determined by GPS, and wind speed and direction are measured. Satellite data receiving system Manufacturer : SeaSpace Corporation, Nihon Hakuyo Electrics, LTD This system receives data from polar-orbit satellites (NOAA, SEASTAR, ADEOS) and geostationary meteorological satellites (GMS, GOES METEOSAT) SOAR: Shipboard Oceanographic and Atmospheric Radiation Manufacturer : Brookhaven National Laboratory Sensors installed on the foremast measure air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind speed/direction, precipitation, solar radiation (shortwave, long wave) and scattered multi-spectrum light. Ceilometer Manufacturer :Vaisala Inc. Type : CT-25K The ceilometer measures cloud base height, up to 7.5km, by laser pulse emitted vertically. | |||
| Other Equipment: | X-ray fluorescent analyzer Manufacturer : Rigaku Corporation Type : RIX 2000 Used for quantitative elemental anaiysis of metals, minerals and biological materials. X-ray diffractometer Manufacturer : Rigaku Corporation Type : RINT 2000 Used for the nondestructive analysis of atomic structure of organic compounds, inorganic compounds, metals, minerals, polymers and biological materials. Ultrapure water purification systems (2) Manufacturer : Millipore Corporation Type : Milli-RO 90 PLUS Milli-Q Gradient, and 60 PLUS Milli-Q Gradient These machines produce pure water using ultraviolet ray irradiation to remove ionic and organic contaminants. The water is used for reagent adjustment, instrument washing and sample processing. They can supply 90 and 60 liters of water, respectively, in 1 hour. Clean room Manufacturer : Dalton Corporation Particulates at < 1,000 per cubic foot. Electric muffle furnace Manufacturer : Toyo Seisakusho Kaisha, Ltd. Type : KM-100 Reagent and sample processing at up to 1,150°C. Freezer (-30°C) Manufacturer : SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Type : MDF-U536 Deep freezer (-80°C) Manufacturer :SANYO Electric Co., Ltd. Type : MDF-382AT Vacuum dryer Manufacturer : Toyo Seisakusho Kaisha, Ltd. Type : VO-230 Forced convection oven Manufacturer : Toyo Seisakusho Kaisha, Ltd. Type : FC-410 Electric drying oven Manufacturer : Toyo Seisakusho Kaisha, Ltd. Type : FS-320 Electric dryer Manufacturer : ESPEC Corp. Type : LC-122 This large dryer is used mainly for drying of lab ware. | |||
| CTD Equipment | ||||
| Onboard CTD equipment: | Sea-Bird Electronics: SBE911 Plus/Carousel 12 X 12L bottles Sea-Bird Electronics: SBE911 Plus/Carousel 24 X 30L bottles Sea-Bird Electronics: SBE911 Plus/Carousel 36 X 12L bottles Expendable bathythermograph (XBT): Tsurumi Seiki Co., Ltd. Type :T-5,T-6,T-7,T-10, DeepBlue Expendable conductivity temperature depth measurement (XCTD) Tsurumi Seiki Co., Ltd. These expendable probes measure the vertical profile of water temperature (XBT) or temperature and salinity (XCTD) during free fall of the probe in the seawater. This system can be used while under way. | |||
| A-Frames | ||||
| Onboard A-Frames: | There is a 22-ton A-frame mounted on the stern, used for deployment of buoys and large CTD sampling systems. |  | ||
| Cranes | ||||
| Onboard cranes: | CTD crane and winch system This system consists of a crane with a heave compensator, a traction winch and storage winch, and is used for the control of the CTD water sampler, the clean water samplers and plankton nets. Applicable rope : Kevlar rope, 9.53mm dia. x 10,000m length, breaking force more than 64.7kN Pull capacity : 44kN Line speed (pull/out) : 0 - 90m/min. | |||
| Winches, Wires and Cables | ||||
| Onboard winches: | Clean water sampling winch This winch is used for light-work such as clean water sampling by go-flow water samplers, plankton nets, and memory CTD. Applicable rope : Kevlar rope, 6mm dia. x 2,000m length, tensible strength more than 11.8kN Pull capacity x line speed : 8.8kN x 0 - 54m/min (first layer), 4.9kN x 0 - 90m/min. (outermost layer) Piston corer winch This winch, in combination with the No.1 traction winch and the swell compensator, is used for the operation of the piston corer sampler. Applicable cable : parallel wire rope, 17mm dia. x 12,000m length, breaking force more than 237kN Pull capacity : 10kN(first layer), 6kN(30th layer) Line speed(pull/out) : 0 - 90m/min 6,000m class winch This winch, in combination with the No.2 traction winch and the swell compensator, is used for measuring instruments with greaseless electro-optical composite cable. Applicable cable : Electro-optical composite cable, 17mm dia. x 8,000m length, breaking force more than 147kN Pull capacity : 10kN(first layer), 7kN(25th layer) Line speed(pull/out) : 0 - 90m/min Large CTD winch This winch, in combination with the No.3 traction winch and the swell compensator, is used for the operation of large CTD water sampling systems, with greaseless coaxial cable. Applicable cable : parallel wire rope, 17mm dia. x 9,500m length, breaking force more than 147kN Pull capacity : 10kN(first layer), 7kN(26th layer) Line speed(pull/out) : 0 - 90m/min Traction winches Traction winches are used in combination with large size observation winches. Their specifications are as follows: No.1 traction winch for piston corer : 137kN x 0 - 90m/min No.2 traction: winch for 6,000m towed vehicle : 98kN x 0 - 90m/min No.3 traction winch for large CTD system : 118kN x 0 - 90m/min | |||
| Other Science Features | ||||
| Other science-related features: | Low temperature laboratory Used for analysis of ice samples, the room is kept below -30°C. Equipment includes an ice core cutter, and a polarization analyzer for observation of ice crystal structures. Aft wheelhouse The aft wheelhouse overlooks the observation deck. Many instruments on the observation deck can be controlled remotely from there. Navigation and positioning features Mirai has sophisticated navigation and positioning capabilities: Precise omni-directional movement with a joystick controller; Stationary positioning through the use of retractable transponders lowered to the sea floor; Integration and recording of navigation information with instrumentation via LAN distrubution. Hybrid anti-rolling system The ship's rolling in rough seas is reduced by moving mass in either direction to the port/starboard sides, using a hybrid pendulum/electric system. Active control swell compensator This system prevents the sudden and rapid change of tension on suspensions, wire rope and cables, and minimizes the influence of ship's motion on observations. | |||